Those deals represent a major price drop for the Z10, which originally sold for $199 through both carriers. But the phone has failed to light much of a fire under consumers. In September, BlackBerry reported a fiscal second-quarter loss of $965 million, with most of the blame pinned on a $934 million write-down in inventory of the Z10.

Verizon and AT&T have little choice but to discount the phone. But at this point, even a free or cheap BlackBerry won't drum up much interest.

It's not the cost of the phone that determines consumer demand. It's partly the phone itself but also the operating system and the apps that make or break a device. And in these areas, BlackBerry was simply overwhelmed by competition from the Android and Apple juggernaut.

With the company's mobile future hazy at best, consumers are also unlikely to buy a BlackBerry phone with a contract that bogs them down for the next two years.

More Information

The Bottom Line: BlackBerry's first BB10 smart phone is a decent device, with a brand-new interface and some great software features like BBM and built-in photo editing. App selection is lacking, however, with available applications often overpriced or hard to find. Combined with software quirks, a high price and a terrible maps app, the Z10 is a reasonable first effort for BlackBerry, but not more deserving of your cash than its established iOS and Android rivals.Read full review

CNET Editors' Rating

About the author

Journalist, software trainer, and Web developer Lance Whitney writes columns and reviews for CNET, Computer Shopper, Microsoft TechNet, and other technology sites. His first book, "Windows 8 Five Minutes at a Time," was published by Wiley & Sons in November 2012.
See full bio